Operation Niblick

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title: "Operation Niblick" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["explosions-in-1963", "explosions-in-1964", "nevada-test-site-nuclear-explosive-tests", "1963-in-military-history", "1964-in-military-history", "1963-in-nevada", "1964-in-nevada"] description: "Series of 1960s US nuclear tests" topic_path: "history" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Niblick" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Series of 1960s US nuclear tests ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox nuclear weapons test"]

Field	Value
name	Operation Niblick
country	United States
test_site	{{plainlist
period	1963–1964
number_of_tests	41
test_type	underground shaft
max_yield	249 ktTNT
previous_series	Operation Roller Coaster
next_series	Operation Whetstone
::

|name = Operation Niblick |picture = |picture_description = |country = United States |test_site = {{plainlist|

• NTS Area 12, Rainier Mesa
• NTS, Areas 1–4, 6–10, Yucca Flat}} |period = 1963–1964 |number_of_tests = 41 |test_type = underground shaft |max_yield = 249 ktTNT |previous_series = Operation Roller Coaster |next_series = Operation Whetstone

The United States's Niblick nuclear test series followed the Operation Roller Coaster series and preceded the Operation Whetstone series.

List of the nuclear tests

::data[format=table title="United States' Niblick series tests and detonations"] | Name The US, France and Great Britain have code-named their test events, while the USSR and China did not, and therefore have only test numbers (with some exceptions – Soviet peaceful explosions were named). Word translations into English in parentheses unless the name is a proper noun. A dash followed by a number indicates a member of a salvo event. The US also sometimes named the individual explosions in such a salvo test, which results in "name1 – 1(with name2)". If test is canceled or aborted, then the row data like date and location discloses the intended plans, where known. | Date time (UT) | Local time zoneTo convert the UT time into standard local, add the number of hours in parentheses to the UT time; for local daylight saving time, add one additional hour. If the result is earlier than 00:00, add 24 hours and subtract 1 from the day; if it is 24:00 or later, subtract 24 hours and add 1 to the day. | LocationRough place name and a latitude/longitude reference; for rocket-carried tests, the launch location is specified before the detonation location, if known. Some locations are extremely accurate; others (like airdrops and space blasts) may be quite inaccurate. "~" indicates a likely pro-forma rough location, shared with other tests in that same area. | Elevation + height Elevation is the ground level at the point directly below the explosion relative to sea level; height is the additional distance added or subtracted by tower, balloon, shaft, tunnel, air drop or other contrivance. For rocket bursts the ground level is "N/A". In some cases it is not clear if the height is absolute or relative to ground, for example, Plumbbob/John. No number or units indicates the value is unknown, while "0" means zero. Sorting on this column is by elevation and height added together. | Delivery Atmospheric, airdrop, balloon, gun, cruise missile, rocket, surface, tower, and barge are all disallowed by the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. Sealed shaft and tunnel are underground, and remained useful under the PTBT. Intentional cratering tests are borderline; they occurred under the treaty, were sometimes protested, and generally overlooked if the test was declared to be a peaceful use. Purpose Include weapons development, weapon effects, safety test, transport safety test, war, science, joint verification and industrial/peaceful, which may be further broken down. | DeviceDesignations for test items where known, "?" indicates some uncertainty about the preceding value, nicknames for particular devices in quotes. This category of information is often not officially disclosed. | YieldEstimated energy yield in tons, kilotons, and megatons. A ton of TNT equivalent is defined as 4.184 gigajoules (1 gigacalorie). | FalloutRadioactive emission to the atmosphere aside from prompt neutrons, where known. The measured species is only iodine-131 if mentioned, otherwise it is all species. No entry means unknown, probably none if underground and "all" if not; otherwise notation for whether measured on the site only or off the site, where known, and the measured amount of radioactivity released. | References | Notes | PekanPekan | SatsopSatsop | Kohocton – 1 (with Natches)Kohocton | Natches – 2 (with Kohocton)Natches | AhtanumAhtanum | BilbyBilby | CarpCarp | NarraguagusNarraguagus | GrunionGrunion | TornilloTornillo | ClearwaterClearwater | MulletMullet | *Shoal*Shoal | AnchovyAnchovy | MustangMustang | GreysGreys | Barracuda – 2 (with Sardine)Barracuda | Sardine – 1 (with Barracuda)Sardine | EagleEagle | TunaTuna | ForeFore | OcontoOconto | ClubClub | SolendonSolendon | BunkerBunker | BonefishBonefish | MackerelMackerel | KlickitatKlickitat | HandicapHandicap | PikePike | HookHook | SturgeonSturgeon | BogeyBogey | TurfTurf | PipefishPipefish | DriverDriver | BackswingBackswing | MinnowMinnow | AceAce | BitterlingBitterling | DufferDuffer | FadeFade | DubDub | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | 23:45:00.13 | PST (–8 hrs) | NTS Area U3bw | 1197 m – 302.27 m | underground shaft, weapons development | | | Venting detected, 1.1 MCi | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 13:00:00.15 | PST (–8 hrs) | NTS Area U2g | 1306 m – 224.94 m | underground shaft, weapons development | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 13:20:00.15 | PST (–8 hrs) | NTS Area U9ak | 1289 m – 254.51 m | underground shaft, weapons development | | | Venting detected, 3 kCi | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 13:20:00.14 | PST (–8 hrs) | NTS Area U9ak1 | 1261 m + | underground shaft, weapons development | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 13:53:00.15 | PST (–8 hrs) | NTS Area U2l | 1320 m – 225.55 m | underground shaft, weapons development | | | Venting detected, 35 Ci | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 17:00:00.13 | PST (–8 hrs) | NTS Area U3on | 1215 m – 714.3 m | underground shaft, weapons development | | | Venting detected, 1 Ci | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 14:20:00.13 | PST (–8 hrs) | NTS Area U3cb | 1193 m – 329.55 m | underground shaft, weapons development | | | Venting detected on site, 1.1 kCi | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 17:30:00.15 | PST (–8 hrs) | NTS Area U2f | 1302 m – 150.27 m | underground shaft, weapons development | | | Venting detected, 160 Ci | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 14:00:00.11 | PST (–8 hrs) | NTS Area U3bz | 1193 m – 261.31 m | underground shaft, weapons development | | | Venting detected, 4 kCi | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 21:00:00.155 | PST (–8 hrs) | NTS Area U9aq | 1267 m – 149.05 m | underground shaft, peaceful research | | | Venting detected, 520 Ci | | Plowshare experiment to provide a clean device for excavations. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 17:00:00.14 | PST (–8 hrs) | NTS Area U12q | 2233 m – 548.03 m | underground shaft, weapons development | | | Venting detected, 4.6 kCi | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 15:00:00.15 | PST (–8 hrs) | NTS Area U2ag | 1275 m – 60.35 m | underground shaft, safety experiment | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 17:00:00.1 | PST (–8 hrs) | Fallon, Nevada | 1603 m – 370 m | underground shaft, joint verification | | | Venting detected, 110 Ci | | Project Vela Uniform, investigation of detection of underground testing. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 16:00:00.12 | PST (–8 hrs) | NTS Area U3bq | 1194 m – 260.25 m | underground shaft, weapons development | | | Venting detected on site, less than 230 kCi | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 15:00:00.15 | PST (–8 hrs) | NTS Area U9at | 1257 m – 165.81 m | underground shaft, weapons development | | | Venting detected, 100 Ci | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 17:30:00.15 | PST (–8 hrs) | NTS Area U9ax | 1248 m – 300.84 m | underground shaft, weapons development | | | Venting detected, less than 460 Ci | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 16:38:30.13 | PST (–8 hrs) | NTS Area U3cr | 1202 m – 263.3 m | underground shaft, weapons development | | | Venting detected on site, 100 Ci | | Simultaneous, separate holes. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 16:38:30.118 | PST (–8 hrs) | NTS Area U3ch | 1194 m – 262 m | underground shaft, weapons development | | | Venting detected on site, 30 Ci | | Simultaneous, separate holes. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 16:02:00.15 | PST (–8 hrs) | NTS Area U9av | 1254 m – 164.59 m | underground shaft, weapons development | | | Venting detected off site, 760 Ci | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 15:24:00.13 | PST (–8 hrs) | NTS Area U3de | 1203 m – 414.35 m | underground shaft, weapons development | | | Venting detected on site, less than 0.1 Ci | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 16:00:00.15 | PST (–8 hrs) | NTS Area U9ao | 1263 m – 490.42 m | underground shaft, weapons development | | | Venting detected, 1.2 kCi | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 16:00:00.15 | PST (–8 hrs) | NTS Area U9ay | 1260 m – 264.69 m | underground shaft, weapons development | | | Venting detected off site, 30 kCi | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 16:00:00.15 | PST (–8 hrs) | NTS Area U2aa | 1283 m – 180.44 m | underground shaft, weapons development | | | Venting detected, 590 Ci | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 15:38:00.12 | PST (–8 hrs) | NTS Area U3cz | 1206 m – 150.17 m | underground shaft, weapons development | | | Venting detected on site, 10 Ci | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 15:30:00.15 | PST (–8 hrs) | NTS Area U9bb | 1270 m – 226.77 m | underground shaft, weapons development | | | Venting detected on site, less than 420 Ci | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 15:37:19.12 | PST (–8 hrs) | NTS Area U3bt | 1207 m – 300.76 m | underground shaft, weapons development | | | Venting detected, 19 Ci | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 15:37:37.124 | PST (–8 hrs) | NTS Area U4b | 1236 m – 333.71 m | underground shaft, weapons development | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 15:30:00.15 | PST (–8 hrs) | NTS Area U10e | 1273 m – 492.56 m | underground shaft, peaceful research | | | Venting detected, less than 10 Ci | | A Plowshare device-development experiment to produce an improved nuclear explosive for excavation applications. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 15:00:00.01 | PST (–8 hrs) | NTS Area U9ba | 1261 m – 143.26 m | underground shaft, weapons development | | | Venting detected on site, 300 Ci | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 16:02:00.12 | PST (–8 hrs) | NTS Area U3cy | 1211 m – 114.5 m | underground shaft, weapons development | | | Venting detected off site, 120 kCi | | Vented massively for 69 seconds after detonation until quieted by chimney collapse. Possible fault crack. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 14:40:00.15 | PST (–8 hrs) | NTS Area U9bc | 1276 m – 203.67 m | underground shaft, weapons development | | | Venting detected on site, less than 350 Ci | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 14:30:00.12 | PST (–8 hrs) | NTS Area U3bo | 1198 m – 149.77 m | underground shaft, weapons development | | | Venting detected, 230 Ci | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 15:29:52.28 | PST (–8 hrs) | NTS Area U9au | 1265 m – 118.84 m | underground shaft, weapons development | | | Venting detected on site, less than 60 Ci | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 20:10:00.15 | PST (–8 hrs) | NTS Area U10c | 1272 m – 506.88 m | underground shaft, weapons development | | | Venting detected, less than 200 Ci | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 20:47:00.12 | PST (–8 hrs) | NTS Area U3co | 1194 m – 261.92 m | underground shaft, weapons development | | | I-131 venting detected, 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 13:00:00.15 | PST (–8 hrs) | NTS Area U9ar | 1253 m – 148.19 m | underground shaft, weapons development | | | Venting detected on site, 37 Ci | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 14:40:00.15 | PST (–8 hrs) | NTS Area U9aw | 1257 m – 163.37 m | underground shaft, weapons development | | | Venting detected on site, 37 Ci | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 16:15:00.12 | PST (–8 hrs) | NTS Area U3cv | 1199 m – 241.34 m | underground shaft, weapons development | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 16:45:00.15 | PST (–8 hrs) | NTS Area U2n | 1300 m – 262.74 m | underground shaft, peaceful research | | | Venting detected on site, 9 Ci | | A Plowshare device-development experiment to produce an improved nuclear explosive for excavation applications. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 14:01:00.1 | PST (–8 hrs) | NTS Area U3cu | 1196 m – 192.6 m | underground shaft, weapons development | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 13:30:00.2 | PST (–8 hrs) | NTS Area U10ds | 1288 m – 445.71 m | underground shaft, weapons development | | | Venting detected, less than 41 Ci | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 13:30:00.14 | PST (–8 hrs) | NTS Area U9be | 1280 m – 205.16 m | underground shaft, weapons development | | | Venting detected on site, 35 Ci | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 13:33:00.14 | PST (–8 hrs) | NTS Area U10a | 1282 m – 258.56 m | underground shaft, peaceful research | | | Venting detected on site, 29 Ci | | A Plowshare experiment to develop emplacement techniques. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ::

References

References

1. Mikhailov, V. N.. "Catalog of World Wide Nuclear Testing". Begell-Atom.
2. "Time Zone Historical Database". iana.com.
3. (August 2000). "CMR Nuclear Explosion Database (Revision 3)". SMDC Monitoring Research.
4. (July 1, 1994). "Official list of underground nuclear explosions". Sandia National Laboratories.
5. Bolt, Bruce A.. (1976). "Nuclear Explosions and Earthquakes: The Parted Veil". W.H. Freeman and Co..
6. (August 1996). "Radiological Effluents Released from U.S. Continental Tests 1961 Through 1992 (DOE/NV-317 Rev. 1)". DOE Nevada Operations Office.
7. (1997). "Estimated exposures and thyroid doses received by the American people from Iodine-131 in fallout following Nevada atmospheric nuclear bomb tests, Chapter 2". National Cancer Institute.
8. (December 1, 2000). "United States Nuclear Tests: July 1945 through September 1992". Department of Energy, Nevada Operations Office.
9. (February 1, 1994). "United States nuclear tests, July 1945 to 31 December 1992 (NWD 94-1)". Natural Resources Defense Council.
10. (1982). "Operation Argus, 1958". Defense Nuclear Agency, Department of Defense.

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